Carbon Nanotube Composites

Carbon nanotubes are a new material that was re-discovered about 30 years ago.. There are two types of nanotubes, single-walled and multi-walled (SWCNT and MWCNT). The former are hollow cylinders consisting of graphene sheets rolled into ~ 1 nm diameter cylinders; they come in many different types as shown to the right. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are series of concentric cylinders. I am interested in how these materials behave in polymers. Most of our work has been on multi-walled carbon nanotubes because these nanotubes have significant commercial applications as fillers in polymers. Dr. Grady wrote a book on Carbon Nanotubes in Polymers that can be ordered from Wiley.

Our current work is divided into three parts. In one part, we are interested in exploring unique effects between nanotubes and polymers. For example, our group was one of the first, if not the first, to determine that nanotubes could nucleate polymer crystallinity. The second effort is in understanding how nanotube properties, particularly length, affect polymer properties. As part of this effort, we are making very long nanotubes, and breaking them to get to the desired length. Our third effort is in polymer blends; how do nanotubes affect morphology of polymer blends. In support of this effort we have made block nanotubes, i.e. nanotubes that have different chemistries along its length.

B.P. Grady, F. Pompeo, R.L. Shambaugh and D.E. Resasco, “Nucleation of Polypropylene Crystallization by Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes”, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 106, 5852 (2002).

O. Probst, E.M. Moore, B.P. Grady and D.E. Resasco, “Nucleation of Polyvinyl Alcohol Crystallization by Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes”, Polymer, 45, 4437 (2004).

E.M. Moore, D.L. Ortiz, V.T. Marla, R.L. Shambaugh and B.P.Grady, “Enhancing the Strength of Polypropylene Fibers with Carbon Nanotubes” Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 93, 2926 (2004).

B.P. Grady. “The Use of Solution Viscosity to Characterize Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Dispersions”, Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 207, 2167 (2006).

F. Buffa, G.A. Abraham, B.P. Grady and D.E. Resasco, “Effect of Nanotube Functionalization on the Properties of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Polyurethane Composites” Journal of Polymer Science: Part B Polymer Physics, 45, 490 (2007).

M.L.P. Ha, B.P. Grady, G. Lolli, D.E. Resasco, L. Balzano, W.T. Ford, “Composites of Single-wall Carbon Nanotubes and Copolymer Latices of Styrene and Isoprene” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, 208, 446 (2007).

M.N. Tchoul, W.T. Ford, M.L.P. Ha, I. Chavez-Sumarriva, B.P. Grady, G.L. Lolli, D.E. Resasco, S. Arepalli, “Composites of single-walled carbon nanotubes and polystyrene: preparation and electrical conductivity”, Chemistry of Materials, 20, 3120 (2008).

J. Peters, D.V. Papavassiliou, B.P. Grady, “Unique Thermal Conductivity Behavior of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Polystyrene Composites”, Macromolecules, 41, 7274 (2008). 

K. Hatami, B.P. Grady, M.C. Ulmer, “Sensor-Enabled Geosynthetics: Use of Conducting Carbon Networks as Geosynthetic Sensors”, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering,135, 863 (2009).

B.P. Grady, A. Paul, J. Peters and W.T. Ford, “Glass Transition Behavior of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Polystyrene Composites”, Macromolecules, 42, 6152 (2009).

B.P. Grady, D.J. Arthur, J. Ferguson, “Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Composites With Percolation at Low Nanotube Contents” Polymer Engineering and Science, 49, 2440 (2009).

B.P. Grady “Recent Developments Concerning the Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymers”, Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 31, 247 (2010).

K. Bui, B.P. Grady, D.V. Papavassiliou, “Heat transfer in High Volume Fraction CNT Nanocomposites: Effects of Inter-nanotube Thermal Resistance”, Chemical Physics Letters, 508, 248 (2011). 

F. Yepez Castillo, R. Socher, B. Krause, R. Headrick, B.P. Grady, R. Prada-Silvy, P. Pötschke, "Electrical, Mechanical, and Glass Transition Behavior of Polycarbonate-Based Nanocomposites with Different Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes", Polymer, 17, 3835 (2011).

S. Awad, H.M. Chen, B.P. Grady, A. Paul, W.T. Ford, L.J Lee, Y.C. Jean, Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy of Polystyrene Filled with Carbon Nanomaterials, Macromolecules, 45, 933 (2012).

B.P. Grady, Effects of Carbon Nanotubes on Polymer Physics, Journal of Polymer Science Part B-Polymer Physics, 50, 563 (2012).

F.Y. Castillo, B.P. Grady, “Filler Reaggregation and Network Formation Time Scale in Extruded High-density Polyethylene/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composites”, Polymer Engineering and Science, 52, 1761 (2012).

A. Paul, B.P. Grady, W.T. Ford, “Polystyrene Composites of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes-graft-Polystyrene”, Polymer International, 61, 1603 (2012).

K. Bootdee, M. Nithitanakul, B.P. Grady, “Synthesis and Encapsulation of Magnetite Nanoparticles in PLGA: Effect of Amount of PLGA on Characteristics of Encapsulated Nanoparticles”, Polymer Bulletin, 69, 195 (2012).

C. Caamano, B.P. Grady, D.E. Resasco, "Influence of Nanotube Characteristics on Electrical and Thermal Properties of MWCNT/polyamide 6,6 Composites Prepared by Melt Mixing." Carbon, 50, 3694 (2012).

K. Bui, B.P. Grady, M.C. Saha, D.V. Papavassiliou, “Effect of carbon nanotube persistence length on heat transfer in nanocomposites: a simulation approach”, Applied Physics Letters, 102, Art. No 203116 (2013).

J.X. Guo, P. Saha, J.F. Lian, M.C. Saha, B.P. Grady, “Multi-walled carbon nanotubes coated by multi-layer silica for improving thermal conductivity of polymer composites”, Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 113, 2, 467 (2013).

A. Paul, B.P. Grady and W.T. Ford, “PMMA Composites of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes-graft-PMMA”, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 131, Art # 39884 (2014).

J. Guo, Y. Liu, R. Prada-Silvy, Y. Tan, S. Azad, B. Krause, P. Pötschke, B.P. Grady, “Aspect Ratio Effects of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes on Electrical, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of Polycarbonate/MWCNT Composites”, Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 52, 73 (2014).

Y. Rui, J. Guo, J. Harwell, T. Nakanishi, S. Kotera, B.P. Grady,” Electrical, Mechanical, and Crystallization Properties of Ethylene-Tetrafluoroethylene Copolymer/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composites”, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 131, Art # 41052 (2014).

J. Guo, N. Briggs, S. Crossley, B.P. Grady, “Morphology of polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends: Effects of carbon nanotubes aspect ratio and surface modification”, AICHE Journal, 61, 3500 (2015).

J.A. Zapata H., S. Crossley, B.P. Grady, “Influence of tapped density on the degradation profile of multiwall carbon nanotubes”, Thermochimica Acta, 654, 140 (2017).

J. Guo, N. Briggs, S. Crossley, B.P. Grady “A new finding for carbon nanotubes in polymer blends: Reduction of nanotube breakage during melt mixing”, Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 31, 110 (2018).

J.A. Zapata-Hincapie, S. Simon and B.P. Grady, “Influence of Diameter on the Degradation Profile of Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes”, Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 138, 1351 (2019).

L. Barrett, F. Ide Seyni, M.R. Komarneni, J.A. Zapata-Hincapie, D.T. Glatzhofer, B.P. Grady and S. Crossley, “Anisotropically Functionalized Nanotube Anchors for Improving the Mechanical Strength of Immiscible Polymer Composites”, ACS Applied Nano Materials, 4, 580 (2021).

F. Ide Seyni, L. Barrett, S. Crossley and B.P. Grady, “Polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) interfaces reinforced with diblock carbon nanotubes”, Polymer Engineering and Science, 61, 1186 (2021).

M.A. Rhue, M. Zaquot, C. Bavlnka, S. Crossley, B.P. Grady, "Length reduction kinetics of multiwalled carbon nanotubes correlated to planetary ball mill impact energy", Fullerenes, Nanotubes and Carbon Nanostructures, 32, 8-21 (2024).